intellecta vel à nobis S. Aug epist 111. Other bookes haue not in euerie part that infallibilitie other writers haue not such ample assistance as the Sacred writers had SI diuinarum scripturarum earum sc quae canonicae in Ecclesia nominantur perspicua firmatur authoritate sine vllae dubitatione credendum est Alijs verò testibus vel testimonijs quibus aliquid credendum esse suadetur tibi credere vel non credere liceat quantum ea momenti ad faciendam fidem vel habere vel non habere perpenderis Baro p. 336. ex Aug. epist 112. 2. THe Second exception is that S. Augustine in an other place Epist 112. speakes not of writings only but of witnesses and leaues it as it is pretended in our choise whether wee will beleeue or not beleeue any but the Scripture Wherevnto I answer that he doth not either there or in any other place of his writings reiect all authoritie or testimonie that is other in your sence binding vs onlie to the scripture so as you pretend For it is manifest that he doth admit the testimonie of the Church as infallible esteeming it c S. August epist. 118. c. 5. most insolent madnes to contradict it yet the Church is not scripture To this purpose there be many places in him whereof I will cite one In his booke de Vnit. Eccl. disputing with an heretick about the Question of rebaptizing such as out of the Church had been baptized and vrging the custome of the Church which did receaue such as were penitent into communion without rebaptizing he makes this discourse d S. Aug. de vnit Eccles c. 19. If some wise man to whom our Lord Iesus giues testimonie should be consulted of vs in this Question wee ought no waies to doubt of doing or putting in execution what he tould vs least wee should be esteemed to repugne not so much him as our Lord Iesus Christ by whose testimonie he was commended now our Lord Iesus doth giue testimonie to his Church wherefore as that Church diffused thorough all Nations beginning at Hierusalem doth receaue such penitents so without all windings and tergiuersation thou art to be receaued And if thou wilt not thou doest most perniciouslie coÌtrarie to thy owne saluation striue against not me or any maÌ but our Sauiour himselfe whilst thou wilt not beleeue that thou art so to be admitted as that Church which he whom not to beleeue thou doest confesse to be detestable commends with his testimonie doth admit The same is confirmed out of the Gospell wherein our blessed sauiour saith to his Apostles and Disciples and in them to the Church that they should beare e Matth. 24. Ioan. 15 testimonie of him yet the Apostles the Disciples the whole Church be not Scripture Againe f Luc. 10. he that heareth you heareth me saith our Sauiour he that contemneth you contemneth me There is therefore an authoritie aliue and distinct from the written word which wee must yeeld vnto by S. Augustine also confessed and consequentlie it is not in our choise to beleeue or contemne any but the scripture Nor were the primitiue Christians without obligation of beleeuing the Gospell proposed vnto them by the Apostles before it was written downe as you knowe by those words which immediatelie followe their commission g Marc. vlt. he that beleeueth not shall be condemned To the place obiected Supra pag 107. alijs testibus vel testmonijs quibus aliquid credendum esse suadetur tibi crederâ vel non credere liceat quantum ea momenti c. Pag. 108. his words aboue cited doe suggest an easie answer as this Others not commended by this authoritie beleeue or not beleeue as you see cause but others commended by this authoritie you must beleeue as farre as by it they are warranted and commended Our Sauiour proued that those who beleeued Moyses and the Prophets and the Psalmes must beleeue him for of him they giue testimonie The like it is of the Church if you beleeue the Prophets you must beleeue the vniuersall Church for they giue testimonie of it and as S. Augustine saith more cleere then of our i S. Augu. Enarr in psal 30. conc 2. Sauiour himselfe One testimonie may warrant another and so they will become in a manner one He that obaieth the magistrate doth therein honour the Prince by whom he is put in authoritie And he that yeildeth all due reuerence to Princes doth therein a dutie vnto God who commands it Wee stoope to God when with all reuerence we receaue his word written or vnwritten and wee submit our selues to the written word or Scripture when wee listen to the Church which the Scripture doth commend When S. Augustine in his dispute with Cresconius about rebaptization was come this k S. Aug. li. 1. contra Cresco c. 31. 32. quia nec vos potestis proferre de Scripturis quarum nobis communis est authoritas ab haereticis venientem denuò baptizatum nec nos ita susceptum quantum ad hanc remattinet par nobis causa est Since neither you can produce out of Scriptures whose authoritie is common to vs one comming from Heretikes againe baptized nor wee one so receaued for as much as concernes this matter that is producing out the Scripture an example of the one or the other our cause is equall he shewes notwithstanding how euen in this point the Church in his time and he with it followed the most certaine authoritie of the Scripture l Ibidem c. 35. neque enim paruï momenti c. for it is not of small regard or moment that whe among the Bishops of the age precedent to the time when Donatus part or faction began to be this Question did wauer and had the different OpinioÌs of compartners or collegues amongst themselues without breach of vnitie it was thought good that this which wee now maintaine should be obserued by the whole Catholike Church spred ouer all the world And a litle after wherefore though trulie there be not any example of this thing brought out of the canonicall Scriptures yet the truth of the same Scriptures is held of vs and euen in this thing when wee doe that which hath now seemed good to the vniuersall Church whom the authoritie of the same Scriptures doth commend that because the holie Scripture cannot deceaue whosoeuer feares to be deceaued with the obscuritie of this Question and of any other obscure Question pertaining to faith it is the same eandem Ecclesiam de illa consulat let him require in it the iudgment of the same Church which the holie Scripture without ambiguitie doth demonstrate There is yet a further Answer in the word Alijs You know that actions donne with ones owne haÌd by the motion of his owne spirit a man reputes not aliene but his owne So doth our B. Sauiour esteeme the actions of his mysticall bodie donne by the motion of his Spirit Settle
Docete Matt. vlt. This Catholikes do know they be grounded they take the secure way The way which you take is temerarious it is the same which Heresie doth vsuallie take to spred it self And in making choise of it you shew in your self the disposition of a Sectarie The Sectarie findes an opinion auouched by two or three against the common and against the Spirit of the Church generallie yet because it likes him for that it is easier to be conceaued or more agreeable to some phantasie that he hath or better suting to the libertie which he could wish he is coÌtent to âhink the authoritie of those ââo or three though the ââst contradict sufficient to âake is probable and then iudâng of the reasons and motiâes which they bring as his ââfections incline him he thinks ãâã at last certaine So did the ârians depending vpon the âuthoritie first of their leaâers and then deeming their âotiue as that pater maior me ãâã to be manifestlie against the Church and for them Neither be the Leaders themselues Arch-heretickes wiââout pretence of authoritie they cite the d Fortasse aliquisinterroget An Haeretici diuinae Scripturae testimonijs vtantur Vtuntur planè vehemeÌter quidem nam videas eos volate per singulaquae que sanctae legis volumina per Moysi per Regum volumina per Psalmos per Apostolos per Euangelia per Prophetas Siue enim apud suos siue alienos siue priuatim siue publice siue in sermonibus siue in libris siue in conuiuijs siue in plateis nihil vnquam paenè de suo proferuÌt quod non etiam Scripturae verbâs adumbrare conentur Vinc. lirin c. 35. Si quis interroget queÌpiam Haereââcorum sibi talia persuadentem vnde probas vnde doces quod Ecclesiae Catholicae Vniuersalem antiquam fidem dimittere debeam Statim ille mille testimonia mille exempla mille authoritates parat de lege de psalmis de apostolis de prophetis quibus nouo malo more interpretatis ex arce Catholica in Haereseôs barathrum infoelix anima praecipitetur Idem c. 37. vbi ostendit eos à diabolo moduÌ istum didicisse Scriptum est enim Scriptures ââd gleane obscure speaches ât of auncient good writers which in shewe do make for them When a man once takes this âay he squares out his Religion to himself or rather he runnes out of all from one thing to another from more to fewer points or articles from that he calls probable to lesse and yet lesse and lesse probable till at last is he findes himself most certainlie in Hell Faith is a firme assent but his if well examined is not so It is not diuine faith he doth but flatter himself and deceaue others with a shadow If two or three tell him thatâ Councell may mistake though the rest auouch the contrarie he is content to think it may and heereupon presentlie doubts of all that is so defined Then further proceeding iâ the same sillie motiue if thâ whole Church auouch a thing yet so as some two or three at some time or other held thâ contrarie he will not beleeââ the Church neither No nor the Apostles if any tell him they might erre A Rainolds a Whittakers authoritie makes the contrarie to him probable and by that time he hath read their bookes he thinkes himself certaine of it But in the meane while where is the faith of such a man wherevnto doth he giue a firme assent To the Scriptures No their authoritie who denied them makes him doubt To the Creed nor so the authoritie of two or three serues his turne and there is nothing in the Creede that more then two or three haue not refused Arianisme Nestorianisme Sabellianisme Eutichianisme Pelagianisme Lutheranisme Swinglianisme all great Heresies haue had multitudes of abbetâors whereas two or three serue his turne Where then is his religion in his mouth peraduenture but in his heart well examined there is none Others there be not so readie to relie indifferentlie vpon the Authoritie of any whatsoeuer esteemed learned but determined extreamelie vnto one The Puritan for example to Iohn Caluin whom he prefers before the rest all together Wherein he shewes himself as extrauagantlie peccant against the light of nature as the former AmoÌgst the many principes or Axiomes which reason dictates to the Prudent this is one that in matters of beleefe the greatest Authoritie must sway our vnderstanding He will not denie that this is true he might as well denie the sunne shines at middaie but his manner of proceeding doth inuolue a deniall of it The authoritie of a Councell entirelie oecumenicall is greater then the Authoritie of one single man The greatest âchollers haue euer stooped to ãâã yet the Puritan rather beleeues Caluin then such a Councell Yea rather then all the knowne Churches in the world though e Though some now disseÌt as you for example yet these points haue had the consent of all Christian Churches as many as beleeued that our B. Sauiour had true flesh and blood consenting As in the matter of the Masse vnbloodie Sacrifice reall Presence And what way is there think you to deale with such a man or to what end is it to dispute with him If you cite Scripture he will rather take the comment of his Master Iohn then the definition and tradition howeuer auncient of the whole Church deliuering the sence of it It is so in the point of the Reall presence And in admitting the Bookes of Scripture too he will be his owne chooser and will iudge himself which is good and sound and which ought to be discarded Vide disput de Eccles pag. 304. But who shall decide the coÌtrouersie betwixt the Church and him touching the meaning of that Scripture which he pleaseth to let passe for currant The Spirit no doubt But in whom in the Church or the vniuersitie of beleeuers before his time Not so They might erre he thinkes and so might all the Councells of Bishops that euer were and all the Pastors of the world though consenting they might all he thinks be deceaued Where then speakes the Iudge he meanes to stand to when the Controuersie is about the sence of Scripture or about the sinceritie of the letter in whom speakes the Spirit which he will permit to be his Master In Master Iohn So he beleeues rather theÌ he will beleeue that he speaketh in the Church Now tell me is not this a strange manner of proceeding in matters appertaining to our eternall estate to challeng to ones self or his Master Iohn authoritie to teach and interprete Scripture and to denie it to the whole Senate of Catholike Bishops and Pastors whom God hath giuen to teach diuine doctrine and to keepe the Church from wauering in such matters and not onlie to them Ephes 4 in what age soeuer but absolutelie to the Church without exempting the first Disciples and Apostles These for
admitted in some others ât in a scholler that pretends to haâ reade the Question in him and ââth vrge his authoritie against the âhurch of God such a pretence âth no place §. III. Waldensis yeilding to the Scripture a preminence in Authoritie will haue vs depend âon the Church for the sence of it 2. She is âo to declare which bookes are Canonicall âripture A speach of Canus touching Walâsis his Opinion examined 3. When he saith ãâã Fathers testimonie hath abolished all Heââes he doth not exclude the Authoritie of ãâã Church symbolicall or representatiue 4 âe symbolicall Church he saith against Wiâef is not the Predestinated people only but ãâã Vniuersitie of right beleeuers spred ouer the whole world 5. He held that the Church of Rome cannot faile 6. and that perfect oecumenicall Councels be infallible in their decree HAecipsa fides authoritas Ecclesiae quantum homiââ supergreditur rationem tantùm fateor diuina legis ââthoritati succumbit Baro p. 365. ex Waldensi Media est ãâã inter supremam authoritatem Scripturae infimam ratioâ fides Ecclesiae Scripturas venerabiliter attollens exhibeus rationem vagam hominis ad hanc geminam authoritaâ alligans zona Pauli Idem ex eodem 1. WALDENSIS saith the authoââtie of the Church is inferiour the authoritie of Scripture What this will you inferre that wee thârefore neede not obaie the decrââ of Councells or that the Chââches authoritie is fallible Infallibââtie may be in others besides Scââpture The Apostles were not Scââpture yet were they infallible ânesses of the trueth The Churcâ the pillar and ground of trueth thoâ the Church be not Scripture 1. Timoth. 3. Thâ may be diuers Authorities infallâ and one of them Subordinate to ãâã other And so are these two accââding to this Author as you may âby the places represented in the a Quamuis fides vniuersalis Ecclesiae inuenitur per Scripturas expressa ficut est paenè tota non tamen est eiân authoritate par sed subijcitur Waldensis de principijs fidei Doctr tomo 1. li. 2. c. 21. Fides vt est Ecclesiae Catholicae in hoc accedit fidei Scripturarum quod non licet de ipsa dubitare eo quod testimoniuÌ Ecclesiae Catholicae est obiectuÌ fidei Christianae legis latio scripturae canonicae Subijcitur tamen ipsi sicut testis iudici testimonium veritati sicut praeconâzatio definitioni sicut praeco regi Ibâdem Quod aliquis pater vnus singulariter per se sensit potes aliquo saltem colore tuo decredere quod autem poenè omnes quasi vnus homo loquuntur fidei robur habet quia vnitas ipsa in Ecclesia hoc loquitur omnium gentium linguis Idem c. 25. margine One onely I will putt here because it serues also for that which followes In the 18. Chapter of his 2. Booke Doct. Fid. he declares how the sinceritie of the Churches testimonie in matters of faith is beleeued in the Creed there where we professe to beleeue the holie Catholike Church and amongst other things to this purpose hath these words Before the written Gospell this in the heart of the Church was the Gospell which Iesus Christ wrote and which the Apostles wrote in the harts of men and to whose testimonie euerie one must stand in the controuersies whether the text of the written Gospell be vnderstood or taken by the faithfull or subuerted by the Heretick whereof the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians saying âow are our Epistle written in your hearts which is knowne and read of all men declared that you are the Epistle of Christ manifested by vs and written not with inke but by the spicit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshlie tables of the heart And a litle after Though the law of nature which men beare written in their hearts be most certaine yet much more hath the law of Christ certissimum interpretamentum a most certaine interpretation in the hearts of the faithfull succeeding one another from the beginning of the rising Church and the Apostles times foreuer according to that of the Prophet this is the testament which I will make to them giuing my lawes in their hearts and in their sense or minde I will write them I must not omitt to putt you further in minde that in the place by you cited he saith b Haec ipsa fides Ecclesiae eius authoritas quantum hominum supergreditur rationem tantum fateor diuinâ legis authoritati succumbit sed tamen quaâ minoris esse authoritatis fidelibus si eam Ecclesia non praeferret Waâd to 3. de Sacramentalibus tit 7. c. 63. Si verum sem per sit testimonium Ecclesiae semper credenda est si quandoqââ fallere consueta in omnibus est suspecta Ibidem the diuine law were vnto the faithfull * Non licet de ipsa dubitare c. vide in Addit of lesse authoritie if the Church did not preferre it And c Hoc est quod superius dixi quantumlibet eminent Scriptura diuina sanctioni Ecclesiae ipsa tamen taxabeâ se sum eius quo aliter sentire non possis cuius interpraetationi resistere capitalis est culpa dicit Origenes Ibidââ howmuch soeuer the diuinâ scripture is higher then the decree of âhe Church ipsa tamen sensum eius âaxabit she notwithstanding shall deâne the sense wherein thou maiest not âold otherwise and whose interpretaââon to resist is as Origen speakes a âapitall offence So he AD Concilium vniuersale praecipué pertinet definire qui liber sit canonicus Quam quidem propositionem aequo aniâo paterer ab haereticis non admitti sed illud tamen doleo veheâenter quod eam nonnulli fideles inficiantur in quibus Thoâas Waldensis esse videtur li. 2. doc fid c. 19. Baro. p. 365. ex âno Addit Baro c. 20. 21. SEcondlie it is obiected that he denies to the Church now ââesent power to determine which ââe bookes of scripture And for this ââe cited three Chapters of his 2. ââoke Doct. Fid. the 19. 20. and 21. âut there I finde it not He doth inâed hold that the Catholick Churh ââd no other is able to d Et hoc est secundum dictuÌ gloriosum de Ecclesia quod sc ipsa sola est cuius testimoniuÌ est tantae authoritatis praeconij vt ipsos libros diuinarum scripturaruÌ taxare decoruÌ authoribus certificare possit fideles nec fas erit tanto testimonio contraire wald li. 2. doct fid c. 20. Incertum ergo esse non potest cos esse libros canonicos habere pondus authoritatissuae quibus Ecclesia declarata per omnes gentes ab Apostolis propagata testimoniuÌ certum reddit Ibidem Dico quod Ecclesia eam doctrinam docet esse credeÌdam sub poena contumaciae Ea dico quae praesens est quae iudicia directa
decreuit à temporibus Apostolorum vsque ad praesens vel vsque in praesens per successiones Patrum id ipsum sapieÌtium atque docentium ei inquam credi debet sub poena perfidiae tom 1. doctrina 2. certifie âhich bookes are scripture and that ââe can commend none in this naââre but such as were written in ââe Apostles e Ipsis patriincumbebat qui tunc praesidebaÌt Ecclesijs ducere scripturaruÌ volumina ad perfectum tunc enim fuit temporis plenitudo non dubium libri non reciperentur in authoritateÌ sacri canonis nisi qui de illis teÌporibus Apostolicis agereÌt tunc temporis essent quia aliter non facerent de diuinis rebus fidem summam Idem li. 2. c. 20. vt suprà daies but this is ât to denie the present Church or Councell power to propose againe the same There were notwithstanding the Apostles approbation of diuers parts of the new testameÌt which approbation came not at least so manifestlie to the notice of all some who doubted of f Vide Disp pa. 431 or denied them as for example the Apocalyps and S. Iudes Epistle and the later oâ S. Peter yet you your selues doe and Waldensis did receaue them aâ the hands of the Church by thaâ part which then liued when he did Neither doth Canus saie that hâ denied a Councell power to propose bookes in the manner wee noâ speake of but he saies onelie thaâ he seemes to be of those who denie thâ power to define which booke is Canonicall to belonge chieflie to a generâ Councell It is one thing to saie thâ a Councell can doe it another tâ saie the power belongs chieflie ãâã the Councell as you will perceaâ by the declaration of the next placâ obiected Waldensis as Canus worâ import seemed to denie not the foâmer but the later neither doth ãâã saie that he denied it but that ãâã did seeme to doe so some things thâ âhilosophers vse to saie do seeme ãâã be and are not and some thing âemes to one otherwise many tiâes then to an other Had it been so âdeed I make no question but that âou who haue been diligent in your âinde to seeke in him what might âe brought against vs would not âaue omitted to relate the words When you seeke for them next âou will finde in him first as I said âefore that in his exclusiue he speaâes of bookes not written in the Aâostles time or before to which purâose he g Waldens li. 2. fid doc c. 20. brings the place of scriâture Dominus narrabit in scripturis âopulorum principum horum qui âuerunt in ea with S. Ieroms Comment on it wherein are these words vt exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud âosteà dicitur abscindatur non habeat âosteà authoritatem And to the same âenour he himselfe a litle after let vs âote the differences of Scripture because the scripture or writing onlie of âhe Princes that is of the Apostles hath after our lord the crowne of authoritie I meane of canonicall authoritie for the saying of the Saincts which followed them haue their authoritie bâ not canonicall Secondlie whereas ãâã might be obiected that the Churcâ in a generall Councell might wriâ a booke and put it into the canon ãâã scripture to be among other bookâ of holie writt since S. Gregorie thâ great doth professe to honour theâ as the Gospels in those words h S. Greg. mag li. 1. Regesti epist 24. citatur in Decret d. 15 Quintum quoque Concilium pariter venerot Ibidem Sicut Sancti Euangelij quatuor libros ãâã quatuor concilia suscipere veneraâme fateor Waldensis there answere to this argument and expounds thâ words of S. Gregorie Thirdlie because it might againe be obiecteâ out of the decrees whence the former obiection was taken that i Gelasius c. Sancta Romana d. 15. Nec obstat Pelagiana epistola de librâs recipiendis non recipâeÌdâs vbi scripturaruÌ libros in authoritate pleâârâa quomodo sint habendi denunciat noÌ ad authoritatem per seipsum in instaurat walden vbi supra Pelagius the Pope seemes to determine what bookes are to be receaued into the canon and what not he answers with a distinction which doth explaine his minde and dotâ suffice to stopp your mouth wheâ occasion require Scripturarum libâ saith he in authoritate plenaria quâ modo sunt habendi denunciat non ãâã authoritatem per scipsum instaurâ That is in briefe he doth not giue but declare their sacred and diuinâ âthoritie And the same the Church ãâã all times might and may doe âhensoeuer there shall be cause âhey were by the holy Ghost inâred and written by the Apostles âd Princes of the Church qui fueât in ea and were approued by them ãâã but it hath beene since necessaâ to declare some of them to giue âtimonie that they be diuine and âs testimonie the Church still can âe Neither is our Sauiour offenâd with her testimonie giuen to ãâã word who was pleased that she âould giue testimonie of himâfe Of which matter this author âth much in the former Chapters âeciallie the eighteenth Fourthlie ãâã doth esteeme the iudgment of ãâã Pope and of a perfect Councell âe infallible as you will heare beâe wee leaue him and therefore âch more is he to be esteemed to âeld this honour to the whole wheâ they be All which being conâered that which you did vrge out ãâã Canus so appeares that it is but a âere videtur without an est vnâ it HAec est sola machinae Christiana quae cunctas haereses mel aboleuit ipsa sc professio concors sanctorum Patrâ secundum suorum temporum interualla reddentium testiânium Christi verbis consuetudini primitiue Baro p. 3â ex wald to 3. de Sacramentalibus doct 3. 3. THirdlie it is inferred that ãâã takes infallibilitie froÌ Couâcells and from the present Churcâ because he saith that the vnanimâ profession of the holie Fathers giuâ testimonie according to the distanceâ their times to the * Latiùs patet verbum quà m scriptura words of Christ ãâã the primitiue custome is the oââ Christian engine which hath once ââlished all Heresies Wherevnto I aâswere first that he speakes withâ exclusion of the Church presentâ each heresie for it is well knowâ that the Church which did aboââ Arianisme and Nestorianisme ãâã the rest of the heresies before ãâã times was that Church whâ knewe of them and that she diâ by her Pastors and for the most pâ in Councells though not without ãâã censent of that part of the Chuâââ and those her Pastors which liââ in the precedent ages which oâ ãâã or agreeable profession was ând partlie by their bookes as in ãâã acts of the Councells appeares âhis daie and partlie by the tradiâ of the particular Churches wheâ they had liued and died Which âânner the Church doth still obserâ in condemning heresies as they
âse ioyning her present Authoriâ to that of the precedent ages ââose minde she doth enquire in ââe manner that so by consent of ãâã whole still errours be condemâd Neither is it necessarie to finde âat which she doth at anie time âopose vniuersallie professed by all âfore in plaine termes and expliciâ or to finde it in all bookes of thoâ times the Church informer ages âd not so wee take the same course âat she then did Secondlie you must âtend vnto the words cunctas aboleâe hath abolished all No one Counâll no one part as that which liued ãâã the second age or that which liâed in the third or fourth hath aboâhed and destroyed them all but ââe whole hath done it Thirdlie that âla is not * If sola be taken as you would haue it what will become of your triall by scripture onlie captiouslie to be stood vpon least you wrong the same Aâthor who neuer excluded the Symbolicall Church for whose testimonâ k so 3. doc 3. tomo 1. li. 2. ca. 18.19.20 c. he pleades so earnestlie both iâ the same place and in his seconâ booke Doct. Fid. in many chapterâ prouing it it's testimonie I meane to be contained in the Creede yââ the Fathers of whose consent ãâã speakes in the place by you heeâ vrged be not the symbolicaââ Church properlie but onlie a parâ of it And in like manner wheâ speaking of the Church symbolical he saith it is she onlie whose testimonie is of so great l To. 1. li. 2. c. 20. vt suprà ad lit d. authoritie thaâ she can certifie who are authors oâ the bookes of scripture that soâ doth not exclude another authoritie that is within for example thâ vnanimous consent of Fathers whereof he speakes heere in the words obiected their authoritie were sufficient to certifie the same as you may see by him To. 1. Doct. 3. and li. 2. eiusdem to c. 26. and m Apudomnes Catholicos valet ligat vna sententia concors patruÌ maximè autem temporis longaeuâ patrum successione sirmata ita vt locuÌ fidei habeat De quacre âenda sub poenae perfidiaein symbolo scribetur Credo sanctam Ecclesiam walden to 1. doctrinâ 2. Verè enim ad omnes haereses compescendas omnes tractatus definitiones terminandas in materia fidei sola via est in qua errare non contingit concors patruÌ sententia ab ipsis ApostoloruÌ sedibus vsque ad nostratempora fideliter compilara In hoc enim simile erit regnum caelorum id est ecclesia catholica homini patri familias qui profert de thesauro suo noua vetera li. 2. c. 25. els where but it excludes authoritie Without Fourthlie he doth noâ exclude generall Councells by thâ Christian world approued and hâ ât should in Sainct Augustines âes haue refused to subscribe to âh authoritie or disputed against ât which the vniuersall Church âhat age beleeued and tought he ât would not haue beleeued what âs by so great authoritie proposed âd bene thought madde rather then ârthie the name of man Fiftlie âher doth he exclude from infalâlitie and power to abolish heâes the Gospels and other parts scripture and yet these be not ât instrument or engine which he âakes of so that you cannot build ãâã argument on those words to âe infallibilitie awaie from all but ãâã Fathers Sixtlie notwithstanâg that Councells and the present âurch are infallible it may be said âthe consent of the Fathers or âhe whole symbolicall Church âh abolish all heresie because faith âre readilie giues assent vnto that âch is so vniuersallie proposed âderstandings not so well dispoâ before doe quicklie stoope in ãâã case to giue reuerence to the âh and such as doe not are condemned of all and so confoundâ that they dare no more openlie pâfesse their errour whence it coâ to passe that none making esteâ either of the doctrine or of thâ who stubbornlie doe persist in it degrees it is abolished And this one of those glorious prerogatiâ which Waldensis so much coÌmeâ in the Church Besides the foresâ readines in the vnderstanding whâ it is by grace well disposed or ãâã lesse repugnance to render obedieâ when it cannot with any shew pâtend reason for the refusall there dâ appeare too more fullie in tâ proponent the power of vniâ which is in it selfe a dispositioâ more plentifull participation of ãâã spirit and brings with it greaâ force to conquer opposition Vndâstandings well disposed yeild pâsentlie when the Councell speakâ when the present Church hath âceaued and vniuersallie approâ the Councell there is ex parte sâcti more adhesion and yet mâ when the consent of all former aâ is added and vnited and more ãâã there was in those that had Gradus adhaesionis ex parte subiecti as the âchoolemen speake euidentiam in âttestante S. Marke knew the Gosâell which he wrote to be true yet âhat the faithfull more easilie might âeleeue it he had it n Vide to 1. doct 3. to 3. li. 2. c. 20. S. Hieron Catol script in Marco approued âs S. Hierom doth relate by S. Peâer S. Paul knew the truth in the âuestion moued at Antioch about âircumcision yet to make the creâibilitie more appeare and more conâincing he went with it to the CouÌâell at Hierusalem where it was o Act. 15. âefined And the Pastors there knewe too what was the truth yet âor the greater weight of Authoriâie they added testimonies of Scriâture The scripture many times ârings testimonies of scripture for confirmation as this Author showeth excellentlie to 1. l. 2. c. 20. and our blessed Sauiour himselfe in conâirmation of his resurrection cited Moyses and the Prophets When parts âre vnited Bishops in Councell particular Churches in the vniuersall whole ages in the Symbolicall âater with most Auncient all vnder âone eternall Word becomming one speaker and vttering in the language of all Nations as it were with one mouth in one spirit one and thâ same thing no man that perceaueâ it morallie can dissent This proponent hath a commaunding poweâ ouer a wise mans vnderstanding anâ it is a great engine to confound errour in which great engine he thaâ should denie there were many paâticular engines able to confounâ Heresie wronges diuers particulaâ in the companie vnlesse you esteeme it no wronge to denie that honour and abilitie to Prophets and Apostles ECclesia vniuersalis habet fidem indefectibilem non qâdem in generali synodo congregata quam aliquoties errâ percepimus c. Baro p. 366. ex wald to 1. li. 2. c. 19. 4. FOurthlie to the same purposeâ of remouing infallibilitie froâ the present Church and Councellâ he is cited out of another place speaking thus The vniuersall Churââ hath faith which cannot faile not indeed assembled in a generall synâ which wee haue vnderstoode to haâ failed sometimes c. In which citaân abruptlie broken of for aduanâge the Authors speach is
also by his instigation seemeth good to vs. That he did acknowledg infallibilitie in sincere approued Councells it is further manifest by that he held of the Popes iudgmeÌt If he thought the resolution of doubts in faith were to be made by him and that his decision was a truth so certaine that it could not be gainesaid he without question made no lesse esteeme of a generall and approued Councell wherein the Popes iudgment and determination is included and consequentlie when he questions or reiects the authoritie of Councells he meanes not those wherein the Pope defines or such as he approues and so not all that are vnder the name of generall but some onelie as hath beene said before Now that he had that estimation which I haue mentioned of the Popes iudgment and dedefinition it is manifest by the 47. Chapter where professedlie he doth vndertake to proue it bringing to this purpose manie testimonies out of S. Augustine S. Hierome Rufinus Origen the Bishops of Africk and others The title of the Chapter is Quod Papa habet ab antiquo potestatem insringibilem ad determinandum fidei veritates debellandum cancellandum omnes falsitates haereticas And in the verie nn Orthodoxi omnes ad iudices Christi currunt vicarios ordinatè requirunt vt tandem planam teneant veritatem Propter hoc enim vt verè credunt licet Doctores vltra eos Episcopos inter omnes mortales singillatim acceptos petere Papam cuius moderameÌ decisio pro irrefragabili vero tenebatur à Patribus Apud ipsum enim piè credebant totius fidei nostrae latere mysteria pectus eius imbutum butyro illo prophetico quo sciret reprobare malum eligere bonum Walden to 1. li. 2. c. 47. Nouit Hieronymus apud Papam Romanum authoritatem este ad emendandum fidem incongruam vel ad probandum Catholicam postquam à tanto Apostolatu haberetur vt recta sine dubio foret per null âmaltum violanda Ad eiusdem quoque Damasi Papa doctrinam tanquam ad infallibilem fidei regulam Catholici Episcopi illo tempore suos aduersarios haereticos coëgerunt Ibidem vbi etiam refert illud quod suprà dictum est ex Hier. de Sancti Marci Euangelio per Sanctum Petrum approbato beginning he saith Papae moderamen decisio pro irrefragabili vero tenebatur à Patribus the Popes direction and decision was by the Fathers marke that by the Fathers held for a truth which cannot be contradicted To the same purpose are manie things added in the next Chapter which is of the prerogatiue of perpetuall immunitie in the Church of Rome where amonge other things he saith that oo Propter hanc incorruptionem claritatem famosam omnes viri Catholici quantumcunque magni quantumlibet sancti simul authoritate territi magnae sedis ab hac susceperunt in dubijs fidei documenta terrifica cap. 48. all Catholick men how great how holie soeuer haue from that See receaued documents in doubts of faith and that it is as he speakes in the words of Cyrill stabilita inquassabiliter so established that it cannot be moued or shaken and more to the same purpose which in the additions you may reade So that I may leaue this as sufficientlie demonstrated out of his booke that you were mistaken in the sence of the words obiected Out of that which hath beene related from him it appeares also that I may leaue a note for such as vpon this occasion may chaunce hereafter to looke on him first that he puts diuers degrees of adhesion deuines expresse it by certitudo maior maior ex parte subiecti respectiuelie to verities diuerslie proposed Secondlie thar with him these proponents are infallible vizt the Church symbolicall that part of it which is now present including both Pastors and people a perfect and syncere generall Councell and the Church of Rome as it is head or the Pope defining Thirdlie that the Pope Councell and present Church when it will seeke the veritie of anie point of faith called into question or the authoritie of any writing or scripture to knowe whether it be diuine or no is to looke into the symbolicall Church which hath all the Christian lawe with the meaning written in her heart by the spirit of the liuing God and there to finde it not in euerie page of this greate booke not expressed in the faith of euerie part but in the booke And if after the search made it be proposed by the Pope in a generall Councell by the present Church receaued or by the Pope in Councell to the Church all are according to his principles to receaue and to beleeue it Fourthlie that the present Church finding and proposing the veritie and the symbolicall in whom she finds it beleeuing and testifying the same doe make vp one organ where by the holie Ghost the spirit of truth doth auouch it to the world Fiftlie that besides the authorities before mentioned all contained in the Church wherein our sauiour pp Ego vobiscum omnibus diebus Mat 28. qui loquitur in me Christus 2 Corim 13. Parecletum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum in aeteânuÌ spiritum veritatis Ioh 14. In vobis erit Ibidem Non enim vos estis qui loquimini sed Spiritus Patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis Matt. 10. likewise and his spirit be there be in it also diuers other degrees of authoritie as of generall Councells not including the Popes approbation not by the Church or him disapproued of particular Churches especiallie qq Ecclesiarum Catholicarum inter quas sanê illae quae Apostolicas sedes habere epistolas accipere meruerunt c. S. Aug. 2. Doct. Chri. c. 8. such as the Apostles haue liued in and amongst them chieflie the Roman though considered with abstraction from the Popes authoritie by reason of the traditions left in her by the two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul of nationall or prouinciall Synods and the like all which according to this Author haue their waight though not the same with the Pope in Councell I omit to pleade further that Waldensis was at Constance in the Councell whereof I spake before treating of Cameracensis and passe vnto the next §. IV. 1. Panormitan the Lawier speakes of a Councell not approued by the Pope nor by the Church diffused which Councells the Question meddles not withall 2. It were possible he thinks for God considering his absolute power to conserue the true faith in one man or woman 3. Antoninus his mind touching Councells PVto tamen quod si Papa moueretur melioribus rationibus authoritatibus quà m Concilium quod standum esset sententiae suae Nam Concilium potest errare sicut aâià s errauit super matrimonium contrahendum inter raptorem raptum Et infrà Nec obstat si dicatur quod Concilium Generale non potest
potest The Church because it relyeth not on reason but on the diuine authoritie prouidence and assistance and hath it infalliblie promised vnto her can in no sort or manner nullo modo determine besides the truth or erroneouslie or against God Whence it followes as before that if the Church doth applie her testimonie vnto any booke auouching and publikelie declaring it to be scripture or to any proposiâion determining it to be a point of âaith and proposing it vnto the world for such there can be accorâing to this author no further queâtion made of it since the diuine ârouidence doth so guide her that ân such definitions she in no sort âan iudge erroneouslie or determine âesides the truth â Neither is this integritie in deâânition violated or our sauiours promise of assistance broken if not in matter of diuine beleefe such as âor the good of his Church God âath reuealed but in i Longè aliter se habent quaestiones istae quas esse praeâer fidem arbitratur Celestius quà m sunt illae in quibus âlua fide qua Christiani sumus aut ignoratur quid verum ãâã sententia definitiua suspenditur aut aliter quam est âumana infirma suspicione conijcitur Velâââ cum quaeââtur qualis vel vbi sit Paradâsus cum tamen esse illum âaradisum fides Christiana non dubitet Vel cum quaeriâr vbi nunc sit Elias c. vel cùm quaeritur vtrum in corâore vel extra corpus in terâium caelum sit raptus Apoâolus c. vel quot sunt Caeli c. vel vtrum elementa âundi huius conspicabilis quatuor an plura sint c. vbi âotuit Methusalem viuere c. Quis non sentiat in his atâe huiusmodi varijs innumerabilibus quaestionibus sine ad âbscurissima opera Dei siue ad Scripturarum abditissiâas latebras pertinentibus quas certo aliquo generâ complecti ac definire difficile est multa ignorari salua Christiana fide alicubi errari sine aliquo haeretici dogmatis crimine S. Aug. li. 2. cont Pelag. Celest. c. 23. vide Canum li. 5. c. 5. qq 3. 4. 5. other questions which it hath not pleased him by reuelation to discouer as where is Elias where Paradice how many heauens c. not in definition and attestation but in some particular * It is one thing to argue out of reuealed principles and another thing to argue out of others Of this later kind of deduction I speake heere deduction and coniecture she doth inferre amisse Not euerie consequence orillation not euerie thing syllogisticallie inferd out of premises in matter of that nature hath infallibilitie according to this Author but the definitions and decrees all haue it If you knowe not yet the difference betwixt the one and the other you may reade him or Canus or looke vpon the Acts of the Councells where you may with litle studie discerne it If it be replied that in his fourth Controuersie he seemes to limit and contract the obiect of assistance to points onlie fundamentall excluding all other I answer that euen k Docendi infallibilitas in causa fidei Ecclesiae data taÌtummodo in illis fidei dogmatibus infallibiliter definiendis fideli populo ceâta veritate tradeÌdis locum habet quae vel in coÌtrouersiam vocantur vel alioqui ad publicaÌ Ecclesiae fidem necessariò pertinent Staplet fid doc li. 8. c. 15. Quando de ijs quaestionibus quae vel non necessariò ad fidem pertineÌt c. vel non ad publicum aliquod commune dogma explicandum quod vel omnes fideles explicitè crederè debent vel in publico religionis vsu versatur vel saltem maiores explicitè credere tenentur populus autem implicitè in maiorum fide sed ad priuatam alicuius c. Ibidem there he doth extend it to all points of faith which either are called into controuersie at any time wherein the Church is or otherwise doe necessarilie appertaine to the publike faith of the Church In which compasse is contained all that is in the Councell of Trent defined against you or in any other oecumenicall Councell proposed to be beleeued Your masters Luther Caluin and others called into question diuers things appertaining and intrinsecallie as parts to the substance or obiect of diuine faith and publike exercise of Religion as bookes of holie scripture iustification Sacraments and the Masse And therefore if according to Stapleton the Churches infallibilitie doth reach vnââ all points of faith called into question it is according to the same tenet extended vnto these which he beleeued so to pertaine to faith But in questions that are impertineÌt or * Such as some aboue pag. 97. litter i. in marg indifferent or that appertaine onlie to the direction of some one that is weake in iudgment and in some priuate case or to the satisfaction of some proude mans curiositie to conclude in questions that appertaine to the explicatioÌ of those things which are appendices additions rather then contained in or appertaining to the substance of faith if the Church should mistake it were not he thinks any preiudice to the graunt of assistance or the promised infallibilitie not if in matter of this nature she should affirme or discoursing as a Diuine which in her examination of difficulties otherwhile she doth should inferre and logicallie l Vel asserendo vel etiam concludendo Ibidem conclude amisse But to make a publike decree of that which is false and propose it openlie to be beleeued of Christians as matter of faith that she cannot being in her publike decrees ãâã definition infallible as you heard him saie before And the same he hath proued at large both by Scripture and Theologicall reasons in diuers m Doc. fi li 8. c 12. 13 Relect. cont 3. q 4 cont 4. q. 2. alibi places of his booke §. IX 1. Saint Augustine will not haue any other bookes equalled with Scripture in authoritie 2. Other witnesses or testimonies of other nature then that of Scripture and not recommended by it or by the author of it wee be not obliged to in that manner as wee are obliged to beleeue the Scripture 3. The comparison of Scripture with other writings in authoritie His forbearing to presse an Arian with the authoritie of the Councell of Nice 4. The Donatists refusing to yeild vnto the authoritie of the whole Church Catholike and consequentlie of her Councells too and admitting Scripture he doth challeng them to shew there the decision of the Controuersie which was betwixt them and him 5. He did both auouch and relie vpon the authoritie of plenarie Councells esteeming them to be in their decrees of faith infallible What mending that is which he speakes of EGo solis eis Scriptorum qui iam caâonici appellantur didics hunc timorem honoremque deferre vt nullum eorum scribendo errasse audeam credere
canonicis aliquando fuerint coÌparata aut possunt etiam ipsi de Scripturis sanctis proferre CoÌcilium vbi Apostoli iudices sederint accusatum aliquem damnauerint vel absoluerint Et tamen respondebimus eis etiam Prophetas libros praenotatis definitis commendasse temporibus quo anno cuius regis c. S. Aug. li. cont Donatist post Collat. c. 15. Requiring of the Catholikes to shewe any where out of Scripture where the daies and consuls were registred and enrolled Wherevnto S. Augustine answers that Councells are not parallelled with Scripture the one to wit the Councell may doe well in registring both daies and Consuls though the other doe not so or they may be added and not by the authoritie of the Councell though nothing be registred in the Scripture but by the direction of the holie Ghost The acts of Councells are not equalized in exactnes and extent of infallibilitie to the books written by Gods Secretaries wee giue the prerogatiue to the Scriptures and so do the words obiected out of S. Augustine which are cited in the margine In the same place whence they were taken he tels how the Catholikes did forbeare to examine why in one Councell the daie was noted and in the other not quia illi Donatistae vanas moras volebant innectere and all heretikes are of the same condition they hinder with impertinent Cauills the processe of the Catholikes argumeÌts and catch at all occasions to trifle out the time For the same cause disputing in another place with an Arian he did forbeare to vrge against him the authoritie of the Councell of Nice against which the heretick tooke exceptions opposing the Ariminian Councell The examen of which two points thereby called into controuersie I meane the lawfulnes of the one and the vnlawfullnes of the other would haue taken vp the time and transferd the dispute into another question which heretikes greedilie desire when they cannot answer but S. Augustine would not permit that scope to his aduersarie and therefore hauing mentioned the two foresaid Councells and in honour of the one which had defined the thing he was disputing of said it p S. Aug li. 3. contra Max. c. 14. was there veritatis authoritate authoritatis veritate firmatum established by the authoritie of truth and truth of authoritie and contrariwise of the other that there were multi paucorum fraude decepti many deceaued by the fraude or circumuention of a fewe whereby hereticall impietie endeuoured to weaken what the Catholike fathers in the power of truth and authoritie had established Sed nunc nec ego NicenuÌ nec tu debes Ariminense tanquam praeiudicaturus proferre Concilium nec ego huius authoritate nec tu illius detineris Scripturarum authoritatibus noÌ quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus c Baro p. 337. ex Aug. hauing I saie mentioned these two Councells he forbeares to vrge his argument out of the authoritie of the Nicene Councell and makes it out of that authoritie which his aduersarie did admit thereby the sooner to conclude being so to dispute onlie about the meaning of the words he was to bring and needing not to argue for his authoritie whose words they were But now for both of vs be content with this course neither doe I the Nicene neither oughtest thou as by way of preiudice produce the Ariminian Councell neither am I held in with the authoritie of this the Ariminian nor thou of that the Nicene thou doest assume to thy selfe the libertie not to obaie it and out * Infrà in fi huius relectionis ad sextum of thy malice art not held in with that great authoritie though thou and all others ought to be since q Hoc est illud homousion quod in Concilio Nicaeno aduersus haereticos Arianos à Catholicis Patribus Veritatis authoritate authoritatis veritate firmatum est quod postea in Concilio Ariminensi propter nouitatem in verbis minus quam oportuit intellectum quam tamen fides antiqua peperaâ multis paucorum fraude deceptis haeretica impietas sub haeretico Imperatore Constantio labefactare tentauit Sed post non longum tempus libertate Catholicae fidei praeualente c. S. Aug. li 3. contra Maxim c. 14. Sed nunc nec ego c. vt supra in marg Ibidem the authoritie of truth it selfe which cannot lie doth there establish the thing which wee dispute of See what S. Athanasius hath testified of the authoritie of that Councell to conuince Heretiks Efficax ad omnem impietatem euertendam c. infrà in Addition ad Athan. PEtit Augustinus à Donatistis vt Ecclesiam suam demonstrent Non in sermonibus rumoribus Afrorum non in Concilijs Episcoporum suorum non in literis quorumlibet disputatorum non in signis prodigijs fallaâibus c. sed in praescripto legis in Prophetarum praedictis in Euangelistarum praedicationibus Baro. p. 337. in eandem sententiam plura p. 338. 4. THe fourth exception out of S. Augustine is that disputing with the Donatists he vrged them to shewe by Scripture how theirs and not the Catholike or vniuersall was the true Church and would not haue the matter tryed by their Councells I answer that though the Church once knowne and her authoritie admitted that will serue to determine controuersies as you heard S. Augustine saie before yet when the Question is of the Church it selfe Whether it be a thing in the intention of our Sauiour confined to one Nation or extended ouer all and with an Aduersarie who doth admit Scripture the way to demonstrate against him vt ex tuis concessionibus c. S. Aug. li. con Cresc c. 33. the way I saie to demonstrate against him is to looke vpon the Prophecies and see the description of it there and to harken withall what our Sauiour in the Gospell hath deliuered of it The Donatists with whom S. Augustine deales admitted the canonicall bookes wherein these two things are and they being once admitted the Question might be defined out of them And of the testimonies of the Lawe and Prophets and Psalmes and of our blessed Sauiour himselfe in this controuersie of the Church S. Augustine said vnto the Donatists r S. Aug. de vnit Eccles cap. 16. haec sunt caâsae nostrae documenta haec fundamenta haec firmamenta the cause he speakes of was Whether the Donatists iâ Africk or the Catholikes in all Nations were the Church whether ãâã were a thing confined vnto the limits of that contrey or extended ouer all the world according to Gods intention and the testimonies of our Sauiour and of the Law and of the Prophets and Psalmes these testimonies he saith were documents and foundations and establishments of this cause He was not to proue it out of Councells for he that denies the whole doth withall reiect the authoritie of each part or what euer is within the whole
Ecclesiasticae doctrinae Idem in Eâst ad Episc Africae ouerthrowe the coÌtrarie and to put the matter b Ego arbitrabar omniuÌ quotquot vnquaÌ fuere haereticorum inanem garrulitateÌ Nicaeno Concilio sedatam esse naÌ fides quae inibi a Patribus secuÌduÌ sacras Scripturas tradita confessionibus confirmata est satis mihi idonea efficax que videbatur ad omnem impietatem euertendam pietatem eius quae in Christo est fidei constituendaÌ Atque ideo diuersis Concilijs per GalliaÌ Hispanias Romae celebratis omnes qui in eo conuentu fuere istos luci fugas qui sese etiamnum occultant quae Arrij sunt sapiunt commâ calculo vnius Spiritus incitatu anathemate percusserunt eâ quod isti sibi nomina vendicauerint Synodorum c. ãâã Athanas Epist ad Epictet Qua igitur audacia fit vt post tanti Concilij authoritatem disceptationes aut quaestiones infâtuant Ibidem out ãâã question and so farre that who ãâã did oppose themselues were c Ego autem demiratus sum tuam pietatem haec sustinuisse quod non simul istos compescuerit piamâdem in Concilio Nicaeno traditam vt suprà illis proposâerit vt ijs auditis vel in quietem se darent vel si inquieti intradicerent haeretici homines iudicarentur Ibidem âereticks It was a vaine thing so he steemed it in the Arians by other CouÌcells to seek to reuerse what was ââere established the definition of ââe holie Ghost there made the word âf God by that Councell remaines foâuer d Vanus eorum labor qui contra illud Nicenum aliâ subinde concilia moliuntur quippe qui plusquam decem synodos iam instituerint in singulis semper aliquid innouantes c. ignari interim omnem plantationem quaâ non plantauerit pater caelestis cradicandam esse verbââ autem illud Domini per oecumenicam Niceae Synodum in aternum manet S Athanas Epist. ad Episc Africae verbum illud Domini per âlicaenum Concilium manet in aeterâum As for the comparison which he âakes with scripture it e Catholici Scripturam Sacram non subijciunt sed anteponunt Concilijs neque in hoc vlla controuersia esâ Bellarm. li. 2. de Concilijs c. 12. Quod si interdum aliqâ Catholici dicunt Scripturam pendere ab Ecclesia siue ãâã Concilio non intelligunt quoad authoritatem secundum se sed quoad explicationem quoad nos Ibidem hurteth âot He that saith the scripture where it is plaine and vniuersallie âeceaued is more powerfull then a Councell or that the eternall veâtie opeÌlie reuealed as it is to Saints ãâã more powerfull then scripture âoth not preiudice infallibilitie Both âay haue it and yet one be more âowerfull And this supposed visit âhat both scripture and the Counâell be infallible but the power of cripture more the discourse of S. Athanasius is conuincing He thaâ will not submit his iudgment to thaâ authoritie which is most powerfull doth in vaine pretend he will be ruled by the lesse he doth easilie contemne a Councell who contemneâ the Scripture proposed by the vniuersall Church as the Arians did who contradicted open Scripture and all Antiquitie Neither doth this make any thing against the decision of controuersies by Councells for though the waie of Councells be a certaine waie to determine what wee must beleeue yet may there be another way to finde it out and that certaine too And doubtles he that seeth in scripture that which he knowes the whole symbolicall Church that which holds out the booke wherein âhe reades it doth beleeue is more powerfullie moued to giue assent then he that heares a Councell onâie And our assent is more proue when the Prophets and Apostles all propose the same then when one alone doth auouch it though one Prophet or Apostle by himselfe be sufficient and infallible §. XII Vincentius Lirinensis will haue Church-authoritie relied vpon in matter of faith as certaine and vndoubted How a man is to carrie himself when matter of faith is questioned The way to finde the Catholike sence Generall Councels infallible in their decrees and those are Hereticks that contradict and oppose them SAepe magno studio summa attentione perquirens à quaplurimis sanctitate doctrina praestantibus viris quonam modo possim certa quadam quasi generali ac regulari viâ Catholicae fidei veritatem ab haereticae prauitatis falsitate discânere huiusmodi semper responsum ab omnibus ferèretuli Quoâ siue ego siue quis alius vellet exurgentium hereticorum fraâdes deprehendere laqueosque vitare in fide sanus atque integer permanere duplici modo munire fidem suam Domino adiouante deberet Primò scilicet diuinae legis authoritate tuâ deinde Ecclesiae Catholicae traditione Baro p. 349. ex vincent Lycin c. 1. VINCENTIVS LIRINENSIS The argument taken from this Father is that in his golden treatise entitled Aduersus prophanas haereseôâ nouationes he hath omitted to specifie generall Councells and their decrees and diuers leaues are spent tâ proue that he did not giue vnto them any place in the direction of our beleefe But no paines will serue Hâ doth more then once or twice mention them and hath testified whaâ he thought of their authoritie Two generall a Vicent Lyrin c. 1. waies there are to distinguish the truth from errour in matâer of Religion the one by Scripture âhe other by Tradition but the scripture is profound and obscure wheâevpon it hath come to passe that diuers heretikes haue interpreted it âiuers waies so that to knowe the âight meaning of it it is necessarie âo recurre to tradition and as he âaith in the second chapter of his booke b Idem c. 2. vide Disp li. 5. c 1. li. 4. c. 8. pag. 405. pag. 395 fine that the line of the propheticall and Apostolicall interpretation be directed according to the rule of the Ecclesiasticall and Catholike sence Which Catholik sence may be found three waies chieflie according as he conceaues it one is to see if it be held by the symbolicall or vniuersall Church a second is to see if it be held by the Fathers each writing in his owne time a third to see whether it be defined in any generall Councell By these three waies principallie a man is directed to the Catholik or true sence of scripture and all three are not necessarie but any of the three will serue the turne c Vâiânt c. â In the Catholik Church saith he wee must haue a great care wee hold that which hath bene beleeued euery where that which hath been beleeued euer that which hath been beleeued by all for this is truelie and properlie Catholick as the power of the name and the definition doth declare which truelie doth comprehend all vniuersallie And this is donne in fine if we follow vniuersalitie antiquitie consent Vniuersalitie wee shall follow
he doth expound it repugnantes some repugnant to other and if in his iudgment they be repugnant you haue no reason to conceaue he doth approoue them all Thirdlie he doth not name any Catholike author holding that assertion which you speake of or the rest which followe but tooke them out of (b) Ex 1. p. li 5. capitibus 1. 2. 3. 7. 22. 25. 32. 35. Ochams Dialogues whence he (c) Confer capita 28. 30. 31. 32. 34. 35. cum Quaestione Vesperiali Quaestione de Resumpta Petri Camer transcribes and some times verbatim diuers peeces of these questioÌs which you would make vse of Neither doth he omitt to recite that opinion of all Christians as many as haue vse of reason erring possiblie all together against faith which Ocham himselfe had said was false and the reasons for it those which Ockam giues he calls apparentes seeming yet himselfe in the end of this Question (d) Ex praedictis sequuntur aliquae propositiones corollariae Prima est quod semper in Ecclesia vniuersali erunt plures adulti illustrati veritate fidei Secunda est quod semper in Ecclesia Vniuersali erunt plures iusti formati virtute speâ Tertia quod semper in Ecclesia Vniuersali erunt plures electi inflammati charitate Dei. Prima propositio patet quia c. Quast Vesper contradicts it and maintaines the contrarie EX sacra Scriptura non conuincitur quod sit aliqua Ecclesia particularis quae regulae legis Christi semper conformetur Baro p. 363. ex Alliac Quaest Vesp Concilium generale poteâ defformari legi Christi idem p. 364. ex Quaest. Resumpta Ecclesia Romana quae distinguitur à tota congregatione fideliuâ sicut pars à toto potest haereticari Ibidem ex eadem quast 2. THe second thing obiected is that he thought it could not be conuinced out of Scripture that any Church distinct from the vniuersall is alwaies free from errour whence is inferd that in his opinion it caÌnot be conuinced out oâ Scripture that a generall Councelâ is alwaies free I answere first weâ maintaine not all Councells which goe vnder the name of generall Secondlie it is one thing to saie lawfull Councells are free from errour in definition and an other thing to saie that wee can proue this by Scripture it is one thing to saie the Epistle of S. Iames hath sacred authoritie and another thing to saie that by Scripture you can proue it Wherefore suppose this Author had said in his yonger daies that he thought the infallibilitie of full and lawfull Councells could not be proued ex âacra Scriptura by Scripture it doth âot follow that he denied their inââllibilitie Thirdlie what he saith in âhat Question is deliuered they be (e) Haec dicta sint de tertia conclusione suis adiunctis de tota ista quaestione solùm disputatiuè non assertiuè Petrus Camer Quaest de Resumptâ sine his owne words disputatiuè ââon assertiuè by waie of dispute not ây waie of affirmation wherefore if âou wronge him not you must not âie he held that Councells infallibiâtie such Councells as had all conâtions necessarie could not be proâed yea and against a stubborne ââuersarie sufficientlie conuinced âut of Scripture Fourthlie this which âas said not assertiuè but onelie disââtatiuè he submitted to the iudââment (f) Non est ergo quò securiùs fugiam quaÌ filius ad matreÌ filius Ecclesiae ad matrem Ecclesiam c. Ad hanc igitur coÌfugiens sua lege regulari ââpiens me dicta mea omnia suae suorum filiorum tam âsentium quam absentium charitatiuae correctioni committo âsub hac alijs protestationibus fieri consuetis quas supâco haberi pro repetitis gratia breuitatis ad quaeâonis responsionem accedo Idem Quaest Vesper in prinââ of the Church therely reâacting or disauowing according ãâã the manner of the schooles yet in ââe what in this disputation might âârchance escape amisse either for ââe substance or the manner of his speech And finallie being after much more studie and reading of Scriptures publikelie in the nature oâ Professor made Bishop and Cardinall he was called to the Counceâ of (g) Acta Conc. Constant Sess 20. Constance and there witâ the rest of the Bishops he sufficientlie made knowne that he though all were bound to beleeue what ãâã generall Councell and particularlâ that of Constance did declare touching faith If you reade the interrogatories made (h) Interrogetur vtrum credat quod illud quod sacrum ConciliuÌ Constantiense vniuersalem Ecclesiam repraesentans approbauit approbat in fauââ fidei ad salutem animarum quod hoc est ab vniueââ Christi fidelibus approbandum tenendum quod ãâã demnauit condemnat esse fidei vel bonis moribus ââtrarium hoc ab eisdem esse tenendum pro condemnato âdendum asserendum Martinus quintus approbante Ceâ Constantien vtrum credat sententiam sacri Const Conâ supra 45. articuli Ioan. Wicklef Ioan. Hus latam ãâã re veram Catholicam c. Ibidem there by thâ Pope sacro approbante Concilio yâ will not vrge him any more in thâ matter TOta multitudo Clericorum Laicorum virorum pâ à vera fide deficere Baro p. 364. ex Alliac Quaââ Resumpta Intentio autem mea conclusionis sicut patuit âctis âeis erat quod data quacumque Ecclesia certae denââionis quae non sit toti congregationi fidelium generalis verbi âauâa Ecclesia Clericorum Ecclesia Italicorum Ecclesia Galliâorum c Ex Scriptura sacra non conuincitur quod semper sit âliqua talis siue consimilis denominationis quae Christi legis reâulae conformetur Idem ex eadem Quaestione 3. YOu conceaue withall what is to be said in answere to the rest âbiected out of him and particularââe vnto that of the Clergie where he âeemes not to haue then well reflected on those words of S. Paul who âoth testifie and his testimonie is in âhe Scripture that our Sauiour coÌstiâuted and (i) Ephes 4. gaue Pastors and Doctors âo the consummation of the Saincts vnto âhe worke of the ministerie vnto the ediâing of the bodie of Christ vntill wee âeete all into the vnitie of faith that âe be not children wauering and caried âbout with euerie winde of Doctrine The like wee reade in Esaie vpon (k) Esay 62. thy walls o Hierusalem I haue appointed watchmen all the daie and all âhe night for euer they shall not hold âheir peace And other places there âre to this purpose verie plaine that âânnot be auoided Neither did he finde himselfe able ãâã satisfie the argument taken from the nature of a Hierarchie and the acts pertaining to it that are alwaies to be found in the Church whilst it lasts that is all daies till the consummation of the world which argument is there brought and he doth endeuour but
and this custome onlie was opposed to those which endeuoured to bring in that noueltie of rebaptization because they could not apprehend the truth yet afterwards whilst amongst many on both sides it is spoken of and sought it is not only sound out but also brought to the authoritie and strength of a generall Councell after Cyprians passion indeed but afore wee were borne And a litle after the words obiected gg c. 4. Neither durst wee affirme any such thing if wee were not well grounded vpon the most consenting or agreeable authoritie of the vniuersall Church vnto which vndoubtedlie he S. Cyprian would haue yeelded if as then the truth of this question being cleered and declared had been established by a generall Councell Hence it followes first that he did acknowledge in generall Councells authoritie to determine controuersies and this controuersie particularlie of rebaptization which you hh Error de rebaptizatione hereticorum qui certè fundamentalis âo fuââ noâdum erat in concilio plenario damnatus c. Baro p. 348. confesse was not in a matter fundamentall and that therein the truth was established by authoritie not of scripture this matter was not so resolued but of the world in a Councell and so farre established that all were to beleeue it and remotis dubitationibus without as much as doubting of it Whence it comes secondlie that to resist such a decree it is diabolicall which word he doth vse vppon another occasion and that such as maintaine the contrarie are indeed heretikes Thirdlie it is to be repeated which hath been said oft before that though wee maintaine the infallibilitie of sincere and approued generall Councells in their decrees of faith yet wee doe not beleeue that their infallibilitie is extended vnto all they write or speake and in all kinde of matter as not equallizing their acts with bookes of Scripture and consequentlie there may be something in such a Councell sometime that may need mending Neither yet doe wee maintaine or beleeue that all Councells which goe vnder the name of generall haue infallibilitie in their decrees some haue as those which are approued some haue not and these later may need mending euen in the decree they make touching faith Moreouer though the Councell that is plenarie and approued cannot commaund a vice or condemne vertue by decree yet may it commaund that which after may proue inconuenient or forbid what after may be admitted when circumstances are changed And if a lawe which at first was well made the circumstances of time and persons being afterwards other then they were before and notablie changed become inconuenient and consequentlie not good in these circumstances though good in it selfe and in other circumstances such as those were wherein it was first made it may be changed by power equall to that which made it The Apostles by decree did forbid the eating of suffocata things strangled yet afterwards when the circumstances were charged and feare of scandall quite remoued the Church began to doe the contrarie To frequent the ceremonies of the lawe now it were a Sinne peccaret mortalitersi quis nunc ceremonias obscruaret S. Tho. 1.2 q. 103. a. 4. though you knowe by what authoritie for the time they were commaunded If you be sick physick is good if you be well the same is bad for you The same thing may be conuenient and inconuenient good and bad in diuers circumstances When the common-wealth is distempered a lawe may be necessarie and at other times not vsefull yea inconuenient and therefore to be annulled And the common-wealth in anulling of it mends her Statute-booke respectiuelie to these later circumstances though when she made it first she did not commit a fault Fourthlie it is to be noted that by the doctrine of S. Augustine before deliuered there be some kinde of Councells which in their decrees of faith are not to be mended nor to be doubted of that it is hereticall to oppose them and consequentlie that they haue nor exteriour onlie but interiour obedience also remotis dubitationibus due to such their decrees which being manifest in him you labour in vaine to be extend his words obiected vnto all which were to make him contradict both the truth and the Church of his time and himselfe He saith and wee too that some generall Councells may be mended when by tryall or experiment that is opened which was shut vp and knowne which before was vnknowne but some generall Councells cannot be mended no nor questioned or doubted of in their decrees touching faith Now to your obiections in particular First you saie that he speakes of mending in matter of faith I answer that those words in matter of faith be your addition He speakes indeed of mending in such matters as by triall or experiment may be knowne but diuine verities which are the obiect of our faith be not of this nature Neither if there had been expressed in that clause which is of generall Councels matters of faith were you able to conclude any thing against vs for wee graunt that some which beare the name may be mended in that also Of all wee cannot graunt it without contradicting S. Augustine and making him withall to contradict himselfe Secondlie you saie that his scope or intention was to distinguish the authoritie of Scripture from all other authoritie wherefore since no generall Councell whatsoeuer is Scripture he meanes them all and will haue all subiect vnto mending I answer that he intended to satisfie three things obiected 1. S. Cyprians sentence or example 2. S. Cyprians writings 3. S. Cyprians Councell The comparison of Scripture is with writings and it is a part of his answer to the Second point as I haue related it And it is true that this writing hath the prerogatiue aboue all writings vide suprà pag. 130. pag. 106. marg that nothing at all can be questioned which it affirmes To S. Cyprians Epistles or any other mans wee owe not that seruice or honour Of Councels he speakes afterwards in the third place and you knowe that it is not essentiall to their decrees to be written There is also great difference betwixt Councells and the Scripture in infallibilitie as hath been showne many times although the decrees in faith of such as are approued are infallible But if you will haue him aime at this that all generall Councels whatsoeuer may be mended and in their decrees of faith you make him as before was obserued to contradict himselfe For these are contradictorie some may not as that of Nice and all may Moreouer by that saepè it is manifest that his speach is not generall as you would haue it saepè is short of Semper And the qualification which he doth vse is another argument of the same Thirdlie you saie that vnles S. Augustine speake in the words principallie obiected of amendment in matter of faith he leaues vnanswered the Donatists obiection But neither will this make any thing to your
purpose for before he comes to speake of amending plenarie Councells he hath fullie satisfied the three points of their argument taken from S. Cyprians example from his writings or Epistles and from his CouÌcell his example should haue moued them rather to adhere vnto the Church his writings were not canonicall Scripture they might haue something in them liable to reprehension Suprà in marg c. in additionibus and his Councell being onlie nationall was to giue place to a generall There staies their argument whollie satisfied The rest was added for a fuller illustration of the matter of Councells wherevnto that occasion had led him They be not all of one nature some kinde of mending or other they be subiect to sometimes though not all vnto the same Wee doe not of necessitie so adhere vnto them all as if nothing in any Saepè priora à posterioribus emendantur But I pray you what amendment had he seene in the Decrees of faith of approued generall Councels shew me the saepè there Name out of him the CouÌcells and the decrees so meÌded might be better then it is The Ariminian was generall but he would not maintaine it the second Ephesine was generall yet the Councell of Chalcedon did anull it Yea suppose the decrees of faith be all right and the Councell lawfull and approued yet something otherwhiles may be mended as when by some experiment of things that comes to light which before was vnknowne Moreouer in that you saie the Donatists argument is not answered vnles it be graunted that any generall Councell whatsoeuer may be mended in their decree touching faith you seeme to call their heresie againe into dispute for that which S. Augustine so much vrgeth against them and it was the thing indeed which choked that Heresie was the decree of a generall Councell And it is strange you should imagine that he doth heere in the same booke disauow the same decree as if his answer to their weake obiection could not haue place but by cutting the throate of his owne Argument which they durst not looke vpon and that his owne forces of necessitie must be ruined and oppressed with the fall of their cause Looke better on his words and in them you shall finde that he resolued as wee do He saith touching this Controuersie with the Donatists that it was taken into consideration and the (1) Nec nos ipsitale aliquid auderemus asserere nisi vniuersae Ecclesiae concordissima authoritate firmati cui ipse Cyprianus sine dubio cederet si iam illo teÌpore quaestionis huius veritas eliquata declarata per pleuarium Concilium solidaretur S Aug li. 2. de Bapt. c 3. truth declared and (2) Postea tamen dum inter multos ex vtraque parte tractatur quaeritur non solum inuenta est veritas sed etiam ad plenarij Concilij authoritateÌ roburque perducta c. 9. established by the (3) vt suprà num 1. 2. authoritie not by plaine Scripture there was none but by the authoritie of the (4) Si autem Concilium eius Cypriani atteÌditur huic est vniuersae Ecclesiae posterius Concilium praeponendum cap. 9. vt suprà Totus Catholicus orbis amplexus est li. 1. c. 18. vniuersall Church and this authoritie not in the Laietie or diffused but in (5) suprà plenario totius orbis Concilio c. 7. a Councell wherein the (6) Antequam plenarij Concilij sententia quid in hac resentiendum esset totius Ecclesiae consensio confirmasset li. 1. c. 18. whole Church did in (7) Ibid. a Decree expresse her minde So that although before men perchance might (8) Salua pace disceptare atque fluctuare vt diu conciliorum in suis quibusque regionibus diuersa statuta nutauerint donec li. 1 c. 7. doubt or stagger in the matter it was now to be beleeued (9) Donec plenario totius orbis concilio quod saluberrimè sentiebatur etiam remotis dubitationibus firmaretur Ibidem remotis dubitationibus and (10) nutauerint donec Ibid. Cui ipse sine dubio cederet c vt suprà obedience to be giuen to the decree whereof (11) Ammedera dixit Et hoc ego idem censeo Haereticos baptizandos esse Huic respondetur Sed non hoc censet Ecclesia cui Deus iam plenario etiam Concilio reuelauit quod tunc adhuc aliter quidem sapiebatis sed quia in vobis charitas salua erat in vnitate permanebatis S. Aug li. 6. de Bapt. c. 39. vide disput p. 404. God had beene author by all who would not expose themselues to be (12) Scripturarum etiam in hac re à nobis tenetur veritas cum hoc facimus quod vniuersae iam placuit Ecclesiae li 1. cont Crescon c. 33. quisquis falli metuit eandem consulat c. Ibidem vt suprà deceaued and most perniciouslie striue against (13) Quòd si non vis non mihi aut cuiquam homini qui vult ita suscipere sed ipsi Saluatori contra salutem tuam perniciosissimè reluctatis qui te sic susciptendum esse non vis credere quemadmodum suscipit illa Ecclesia quam testimonio suo commendat ille cui fateris nefarium esse non credere De vnit Eccles c 19. our Sauiour himself and confirme or assure themselues to be (14) Audent etiam Donatistae rebaptizare Catholicos vbi se ampliûs Haereticos esse firmarunt cùm Ecclesiae Catholicae vniuersae placuerit nec in ipsis Haereticis baptisma rescindere S. Aug. de Haeres num 69. expende verbum illud ampliùs quod indicat gradum in eodem genere Hereticks This I trow doth import as much as wee teach of a Councells authoritie And the grounds whereby S. Augustine could haue defended himself at that time and in that case be the same whereby wee now defend our selues in other causes of no lesse importance as of the reall presence propitiatorie Sacrifice prayer for the dead and the like the diuine assistance being not tied peculiarlie vnto that Age wherein S. Augustine liued Fourthlie you saie those words cognoscitur quod latebat and that it knowne which was before vnknowne be meant in matter of faith because matters of faith doe come to light after they haue been vnknowne As if this were a peculiar thing in matters of faith and not common to diuers other matters euen those which by experiment may be knowne to come to light after inquisition there are many other verities which may so come to light besides matters of faith and therefore vnlesse you will argue from the genus to the species affirmatiuelie as thus it is aliuing creature therefore it is a man which manner of discourse is absurd you cannot out of those generall words make it good or proue that he meanes matter of faith not if this part were disioyned froÌ the former with a
vel for there were yet other things which might so come to light besides matters of faith all other verities are not manifested by triall and experiment though some be much lesse can you doe it âf you consider that the later part and the former be coupled into the same sence by the coniunctiue ãâã answer secondlie that were matâers of faith expressed in that part ãâã for of that part onlie which conâernes plenarie Councells I speake âs it is manifest they be not still âou were short of your aime for some kinde of generall Councells such as are vnlawfull or such as are lawfull but not approued though you would neuer be able to proue so much out of this place might neede mending and yet approued and confirmed Councels need none I knowe that some of yours doe sleight the distinction of confirmed and not confirmed Councels as a thing not knowne to S. Augustine and other Auncients but they be mistaken much If you looke into the tome of his Epistles you will see that kk S. Aug. Ep. 90. he with many other Bishops in a Councell wrote vnto Pope Innocentius to confirme their acts and decree made against those errours which Pelagius and Caelestiââ had auouched vt statutis nostrae mediocritatis etiam Apostolicae sedis adhibeatur authoritas that to the decreeâ of our mediocritie the authoritie of the See Apostolike be added And afterwards error impietas quae tam multos assertores habet per diuersa dispersos etiaÌ Apostolicae sedis authoritate anathematizanda est The errour and impietie of those men which hath so many abbetters and those disperseâ in diuers parts or places is to be anathematized also by the authoritie of the See Apostolike Wherevnto the Pope answers and his Epistle is there ll Apud S Aug. Epist 91. also first commending them for requiring as they ought to doe the iudgment of the See Apostolike scientes quid Apostolicae sedi debeatur Secondlie confirming this obligation the Fathers saith he non humana sed diuina decreuere sententia vt quicquid de disiunctis remotisque prouincijs ageretur non prius ducerent finiendum nisi ad huius sedis notitiam perueniret vbi tot a huius authoritate iusta que fuerit pronunciatio firmaretur the fathers haue decreed by a sentence not humane but diuine marke the words that whatsoeuer should be donne in disâoyned and remote prouinces they should not esteeme it to be ended vnles it come first to the notice of this See where the proposition or sentence which is iust should be established with the whole authoritie of this Thirdlie he declates quisquis huic assentiens videtur esse sententiae speaking of the the Pelagian errour nimium se Catholicae fidei Dei beneficijs profitetur ingratum who soeuer seemes to consent into this opinion doth professe himselfe an enemie to the Catholike faith and ingratefull to gods benefits And in fine he cuts the faction of from communion separetur ergo c. Neither doth S. Augustine omit to giue notice of this answer for in the 106. Epistle hauing signified the sending of the acts of the foresaid Councell and of another also against the same errours together with letters to the same purpose to Pope Innocentius he saith mm S. Aug. Epist. 106. vide eundem Epist. 104. item serm 2. de verbis Apostoli li. 2. cont duas Epist Pelag. c. 3. ad omnia nobis ille rescripsit eodem modo quo fas erat atque oportebat Apostolicae sedis antistitem He wrote vs an answer to all things in such manner as a Bishop of the see Apostolike lawfullie might before god and ought to doe Adding also els-where that by those letters dubitatio tota sublata est alâ doubt in that matter was taken away I omit to put you further in minde that the Councell of nn Relat. Conc. Chalc. ad Leonem Papam Chalcedon asked of Leo the great as their Head and Father confirmation of their decrees which he also gaue though oo Leo Papa Epist 55. ad Pulch. Aug. not in all they desired and thereby did manifest the fullnes of his authoritie It were easie to bring many examples in this kind were I professedlie to treat of it but keeping my self as I haue donne hetherto to those authors you obiect it sufficeth to satisfie by S. Augustines authoritie the difficulties which you bring out of S. Augustine The necessitie of the Popes approbation you finde elswhere Disput li. 4. c. 4. and it is a thing so manifest by the Scripture Matth. 16. Ioan. 21. that he in his Predecessor S. Peeter is peculiarlie designed as Chiefe of those Pastors on whom the Church is to relie for the knowledg and meaning of Gods word according to the Apostles doctrine Ephes 4. Ephes 2.20 Epist Iudae v. 20 which Pastors are therefore assisted accordinglie to support the faithfull built vppon them that all other interpretation which would exclude it is violent vnto the text and Disput li. 4. c. 1. 2. inasmuch as it labours to remoue the foundation which our Sauiour laide doth indeuour though vainelie for it is more then Hell can do to ruine the whole Church The pretence of plaine Scripture or of manifest reason such as an vnderstanding man considering cannot but assent vnto against the consent of all the Pastors in a Councell is openly insufficient because it doth suppose and without yea against all reason that they the Pastors with all their Exercise in Diuinitie and diligent inquisition looking into and considering the words of Scripture comparing texts together examining the traditions of the Church perusing former Councels with the writings of the Fathers and other monuments of antiquitie and assisted by the Holie Ghost their interiour Master be not as able as their aduersaries to conceaue plaine Scripture Innumerabiles sunt qui se videntes non solùm âactaÌt sed à Christo illuminatos videri volunt sunt autem Haeretici S. Augu. in Ioan. tract 45. and reason so manifest or that conceauing and vnderstanding it they should be all so malicious and our Sauiour so vnmindfull of his promise as to propose vnto the world and oblige it to beleeue as our Sauiours words the contrarie But it is familiar in such Opponents as want them selues that Authoritie which the Sonne of God hath established to keepe vs from Errour to pretend euident Scripture and manifest pp Illi qui cum in vnitate atque communione catholica noÌ sint Christiano tamen nomine gloriantur coguntur aduersari credentibus audent imperitos quasi ratione traducere quando maximé cum ista medicina Dominus venerit vt fidem populis imperaret Sed hoc facere coguntur quia iacere se abiectissimè sentiunt si eorum authoritas cum authoritate catholica conferatur Conantur ergo authoritatem stabilissimam fundatissimae Ecclesiae quasi rationis nomine pollicitatione
Ecclesiae c. 19. example of it Shall the matter then rest and the Donatists against the custome and practize of the Church obtaine the cause There is yet a remedie and this is to call a Councell from all parts of the world and there by the promised assistance to decide it Which was done accordinglie and in the heart of the Church symbolicall the booke wherein Christian Religion is written by the spirit of the liuing God it was found and brought to light and proposed And to this iudgment all Catholikes afterward did subscribe and S. Cyprian also who in his time thought the other more probable would if wee beleeue Saint Augustine most willinglie haue donne and such as would not hauing notice of it were and are accounted Heretikes 2. Hence that I note this by the way wee take an Argument against you to proue by the iudgment of Antiquitie two things 1. that the Church can propose and oblige vs to beleeue that which she hath receaued onlie by word of mouth 2. that our Sauiour did not limit his promised Assistance to fundamentalls onlie Not onlie to fundamentals nor onlie to the written word Wee haue I saie in these two things the iudgment of the Church which was in and before Saint Augustines daies against you They did inquire diligentlie what had beene taught formerlie what tradition had been left in the Church by those who first planted Religion in it they made recourse to the fountaine Which kind of proceeding for the resolution of difficulties had beene commended to them from the f Quid enim si de aliqua modica quaestione disceptatio esset noÌne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias in quibus Apostoli conuersati sunt ab ijs de praesenti quaestione sumere quod certum reliquidum est Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem Scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi Traditionis quam tradiderunt ijs quibus committebant Ecclesias cuââordinationi assentiunt multae gentes Barbarorum eorum qui in Christum credunt sinc charactere vel atramento scriptam habentes per Spiritum in cordibus suis salutem veterem traditionem diligenter custodientes c. S. Irenaeus adu Haeres li 3. c 4. cuius capitis initio Non oportet inquit adhuc quaerere apud alios veritatem cùm Apostoli quasi in depositorium diues plenissimè in ea Ecclesia contulerint omnia quae sint veritatis vti omnis quicunque velit sumat ex ea potum vitae Et Optatus in hanc sententiam Nam fontem inquit constat vnam esse de dotibus vnde Haeretici non possunt vel ipsi bibere vel alios potare ita li. 2. Caeterùm lege in Irenaeo c. 3. li. 3. vbi de traditione praeclarè disserit In compendio est apud religiosas simplices mentes errorem deponere inuenire atque cruere veritatem Nam si ad diuinae Traditionis caput originem reuertamur cessat error humanus sacramentorum coelestium ratione perspecta quicquid sub caligine ac nube tenebrarum obscurum latebat in lucem veritatis aperitur Si canalis aquam ducens qui copiosè priùs largiter profluebat subitò deficiat nonne ad fontem pergitur vt illic defectionis ratio noscatur vtrumne arescentibus venis in capite vnda siccauerit siccata sit an verò integra inde plena procurrens in medio itinere destiterit vt si vitio interrupti aut bibuli canalis effectum est quo minus aqua continua perseueranter ac iugiter flueret refecto confirmato canali ad vsum atque potum ciuitatis aqua collecta eadem vbertate atque integritate representetur qua de fonte proficiscitur Quod nunc facere oportet Dei Sacerdotes praecepta diuina seruantes vt si aliquo nutauerit vacillauerit veritas ad originem Dominicam Euangelicam Apostolicam Traditionem reuertamur inde surgat actus nostri ratio vnde ordo origo surrexit S. Cyprianus Epist 74 ad Pompeium De qua ep vide S. Aug li. 5. contra Donat. c. 23 25. Vide etiam de modo veritatem inuestigandi Tertullianum lib. de Praescript c. 19. 20. 21. c. beginning and was in after-ages still approued as appeares by the * See the Tomes of Councels practice of the Church vpoÌ all occasions of importance §. XI Saint Athanasius esteemed it a vaine thing for those who would not stand vnto the Nicene decree to call for Councels He did esteeme the decree of it infallible Of diuers infallible Authorities one may he more powerfull and commaunding then another FRustra igitur circumcursitantes praetexerunt ob fidem se Synodos postulare cum sit diuina Scriptura omnibus potentior Quod si ad hanc rem vsus Synodi desideratur supersunt acta patrum nam neque in hac parte negligentes fuere qui Niceae conuenerunt sed ita accuratè scripserunt vt qui sinceriter eorum scripta legat facilè reminiscatur eius in Christum religionis quae à sacris literis annunciatur Baro. p. 327. ex Athanasio S. ATHANASIVS was at the Councell of Nice where the Arian heresie was anathematized and the Catholike faith established yet he is also brought against the authoritie of all generall Councells first because he tels the Arians who would not staÌd to the iudgmeÌt of that CouÌcell which was oecumenicall and yet cried out for Councells that in vaine they runne about the world pretending they required Councells for the faith whereas the diuine scripture is more powerfull then all Secondlie because he saith that who so reades the writings or acts of the Nicene fathers they will easilie call to minde that Religion which is showed in holie scripture I am not yet so learned as to conceaue how the infallibilitie of CouÌcels is any waie contradicted in these words so farre I am from thinking that this great Saint did forget himselfe and vndoe what with others he before had donne The decree of the Nicene Councell together with the Acts did so bring to minde the faith commended in the scripture that withall it had force he saith enough to a Quis vsus quaeso Conciliorum quum Nicaenum CoÌcilium aduersus Arianam caeterasque haereses satis valeat S. Athanas de Synodis Indecens nefarium aliquid ex rectè iustè decretis ex rebus Niceae publicè cum illustrissimo principe Constantino patre tuo per accuratam deliberationem constitutis immutare velle c. per quam Synodum non illa sola sed reliquae haereses sublatae sunt in qua certè addere aliquid temerarium est auferre periculosum Ibidem epist Synod ad Constantium August âufficiunt ea quae Niceae confessa fuere satisque per se viâum habent tum ad subuersionem impij dogmatis tum ad âtelam vtilitatemque
thus if wee confesse that one faith to be true which the whole Church thorough the world doth acknowledg And antiquitie thus if wee doe not in any sort goe back from those sences which it is manifest that our holie Auncestors and Fathers haue celebrated and commended and Censent likewise if wee followe the definitions and decrees of all or neere all the priests and masters in Antiquitie And d Quid igitur faciet Christianus Catholicus si se aliqua Ecclesiae particula ab vniuersalis fidei communione praeciderit quid vtique nisi vt pestisero corruptoque meÌbro sanitatem vniuersi corporis anteponats quod si nouella aliqua coÌtagia non iam portiunculam tantum sed totam pariter Ecclesiam commaculare conetur locum hunc corruperuÌt Wittaker Vitus haeretici tunc item prouidebit vt antiquitati inhaereat quae prorsus iaÌ non potest vlla nouitatis fraude seduci Quid si in ipsa vetustate duorum aut trium hominuÌ vel certè ciuitatis vnius aut etiam prouinciae alicuius error deprehendatur Tunc omnino curabit vt paucoruÌ temeritati vel inscitiae fi qua sunt vniuersaliter antiquitus vniuersalis Ecclesiae decreta praeponat Quid si tale aliquid emergat vbi nihil huiusmodi reperiatur Tuuc operam dabit vt collatas inter se MaioruÌ coÌsulat interrogeâque sententias eorum duÌtaxat qui diuersis licet teÌporibus locis in vnius tameÌ Ecclesiae Catholica communione fide permanentes magistri probabiles extiterunt quicquid noÌ vnus aut duo taÌtum sed omnes pariter vno eodemque coÌsenââ apertè frequeÌter perseueranter tenuisse scripsisse docuisse cognouerit id sibi quoque intelligat absque vlla dubitatione credendum Vinc Lyrin c. 4. more he hath to the same purpose He liued in the yeare 440. and before he wrote this booke there had been three generall Councells whose decrees though not made the * Nicenum anno 325. first of them much more then a hundred yeeres before him he âumbers amongst the records of anâiquitie which are to be looked into And in like manner the decrees maâe 200. 500. 1000. yeares before vs âake place and order in the records âf antiquitie respectiuelie to our times the distance of precedence âeing more then was the distance of any Councell precedent respectiuelie vnto him You are further to obserue that âo the vniuersalitie of a truth he doth not require that it be distinctlie beleeued of all that professe Christian religion some haue professed it who beleeued not the blessed Trinitie others denied the Incarnation the greatest mysteries were not Catholick in this sense neither doth âhe require that a point or veritie which is Catholik be such that it hath been expreslie and distinctlie beleeued of all Catholiks at all times the Catholick Epistles in this sence e Vide Disp pag. 431. An excellent lesson for these times were not all Catholick but his meaning is as I insinuated before that a sence or veritie appertaining to faith which is beleeued by the Symbolicall that is by the vniuersall catholike Church either allwaies or at any time for it can neuer erre in diuine faith or which the Fathers haue vniformelie in their times and ages taught and professed or which hath beene defined by all or neere all the Pastors those which are to teach in a generall councell is to be receaued as a Catholick sense Twice in that little booke herepeates againe this matter of finding out the Catholik sense by antiquitie consenting either in Councell or out of Councell and by vniuersalitie and in both places the definition of generall Councells and their authoritie comes in As in the 38. chapter where giuing direction how to auoid hereticks who like the Deuil vrge Scriptures against the truth in this case saith he Catholikes shall take greate care that they interprete the diuine canon according to the traditions of the vniuersall Church and according to the rules of the Catholike doctrine or decree wherein likewise it is necessarie that they follow the vniuersalitie antiquitie and consent of the Catholick Church And if at any time a part doth rebell against the whole noueltie against antiquitie or the disagreement of one or some fewe erring persons against the consent of all or at least of farre more Catholikes let them preferre the integritie of the whole before the corruption of the part And in the same whole the religion of antiquitie before the prophanesse of noueltie as also in antiquitie it selfe let them preferre before the rashnes of a verie fewe f primuÌ omnium generalia si qua sunt vniuersalis coÌcilij decreta praeponant tuÌc deinde si id minus est sequantur quod proximum est multorum atque magnoruÌ consentientes sibi sententias magistrorum Vincent Lirin c 38. first of all if any be the generall decrees of an oecumenicall Councell then after if that be not let theÌ followe that which is next to wit the sentences or opinions of many and great masters consenting amonge themselues In the next chapter he tells what Fathers those must be whose opinions wee take they must be g Idem c. 39. orthodoxe such as liuing piouslie in the Catholike faith and communion and remaining constant haue died in Christ or happilie bene put to death for him and those he saith are so to be beleeued that what soeuer either all or the greater part haue established or confirmed receauing holding or deliuering with one and the same meaning manifestlie oft constantlie as it were in a certaine councell of masters agreeing among themselues the same is to be esteemed certaine and vndoubted And againe in the h Idem c. 40. next Hos in Ecclesia Dei diuinitus per tempora loca dispensatos quisquis in sensu Catholici dogmatis vnum aliquid in Christo sentientes contempserit non hominem contemnit sed Deum He that contemnes these fathers diuinelie distributed according to times and places in the Church of God agreeing in Christ in the sence of a Catholick point of doctrine he contemneth not man but God So greate hee esteemeth this authoritie of the fathers and masters which God hath dispensed not at one but in seuerall times and yet the generall decrees of an oecumenicall Councell with him haue i c. 38. vt suprà the precedence primum omnium generalia si qua sint vniuersalis Concilij decreta praeponant tunc deinde si id minus est sequantur quod proximum est multorum at que magnorum consentientes sibi sententias magistrorum Againe in the 41. chapter he repeates a second time the same matter of finding out the Catholike sence by antiquitie consenting in Councell or out of Councell where he speakes yet more home k Diximus in ipsa Ecclesiae vetustaâe duo quaeâam vehementer studioseque obseruaÌda quibus penitus inhaerere deberent quicunque haeretici esse nolunt PrimuÌ si
this assistance the shall teach you all things and suggest vnto you all what soeuer I shall haue said vnto you Ioann 14. So did the Apostle vnderstand it also in saying that Pastors are giuen to the end wee doe not wauer Ephes 4. nor be borne about with euery winde of doctrine Such a giddines happens in other things also besides fundamentalls The Church likewise beleeues the graunt to be thus vniuersall to all our Sauiours doctrine as appeareth by the matters which she defineth in generall Councels as in that of Trent And so much you will acknowledg of the primitiue Church if you reflect vpon that which hath beene said out of S. Augustine in the Donatists case about Baptisme which controuersie not being expressed in the Apostles Creed was in a Councell defined and in vertue of this assistance by the whole Christian world Neither doe you finde the difficultie which was resolued by the Apostles in their Councell put into the Creede Thirdlie you saie that out of a generall assistance such as God giues euerie man towards euerie good worke infallibilitie cannot be inferd and more you will not graunt But our Sauiour graunted more he promised the holie Ghost should teach the Church all truth Ioh. 14. 16. and his lessons must not be doubted of he cannot misse the truth or teach a lie The sence which he doth inspire teach affirme is certaine and the falsitie of any one thing were it possible he should teach a falsitie would infinitelie preiudice his authoritie in the estimation of his creatures yea the whole Scripture would be questioned if this ground were not firme â Petr. 1. if that were not certaine which men inspired by the holie Ghost and affirming as from him or he in them might be false Fourthlie you saie that if the Councell follow Scripture it hath assistance and is infallible but not els This supposeth that the Church without assistance can vnderstand the Scripture or teach and define matter of faith whereas our Sauiour in the Scripture saith Ioann 15. without him wee can doe nothing and therefore he hath promised assistance that wee may knowe his will and our dutie and left the holie Ghost in the Church to teach her all truth The Iewes and Pagans and heretikes looke on Scripture but they doe not vnderstand it The Church hath a Master the Holie Ghost left to teach her and by his helpe doth vnderstaÌd What need a Schoolemaster if your child doth by himselfe vnderstand his booke or will you call it instruction if he neuer tell him any thing but what the child himselfe knowes before you knowe moreouer that when the Controuersie is about the Scripture the written word or about the Apostles Creed or generall tradition assistance is necessarie and also for the sence of Scripture more then is by your definition fundamentall To omitt that in your answer you allowe the Church no greater securitie from errour by the promised assistance then you graunt to be in pagans and heretikes without it for they dot not erre if they followe Scripture and iudge as it is there So little is the discretion of this answer and so small a benefit or rather no benefit you coÌceaue to be bestowed in that faire promise Whereas wee beleeue our Sauiour to be God who neither mocks his Church nor breakes his word he can and will make and bringe to passe Ezech. 36. that she walke in his precepts He writes his lawes in her heart Ierem. 31. what hinders him and keepes his words Isa 59. in her mouth He hath opened a Schoole and put a Master in the chaire Docebit saith he he shall teach and if the lessoÌ be forgot suggeret Ioan. 14. he shall bringe it to minde againe he is not to staie till men finde it of them selues he is Master and shall teach it Fiftlie you saie that you are content exteriour obedience be giuen to generall Councells but no more Yet more must be giuen to the holie Ghost and in Councells He defineth Visum est Spiritui Sancto nobis Act. 15. were the words of the Councell it seemeth good to the holie ghost and to vs not to vs onlie but to him in himselfe and in vs heere assembled with his assistance promised in cases of this nature and wee are certaine that he who promised will performe to decide a controuersie our act is his act 2 Cor. 13. to Him it hath seemed good In S. Paul Christ spake the Apostles words 1. Thess 1. were acknowledged to be and were indeed the words of God Luc 10. the holie Ghost speakes in the Church the definition is his you must beleeue it and Matt. 18. remotis dubitationibus to vse S. Augustines words S. Aug. suprà there is no more doubt to be made of it In the conclusion of your discourse you repeate againe what you said in the beginning Alij fatentur opus esse iudice loquenteâeâ homine Volunt tameÌ posse ab eo prouocari in foro in âerno sea conscientiae Siâ Wittakerus c. Sed hoc facilè refellitur tum quia in hac materia gratis confingitur haec distinctio fori tum etiam quia pax Ecclesiae sita est potissimum in foro interno scilicet in fide ergo non licet in eo foro prouocare à Iudice Ecclesiae alioquin nunquam pax esset conscientiae tum praeterea quia praxis Ecclesiae in Concilio Apostolorum aliorum generalium Conciliorum planè declarat quod Iudex Ecclesiae habeat potestatem dirimendi lites in foro conscientiae tum demum quia si quis teneretur obedire iudicio Ecclesiae in foro externo non in interno teneretur aliquando silentio sepelire veritatem Dei eamque non confiteri coram hominibus nempe si Ecclesia sententiam ferret contra Dei veritatem Accedit quod potestas Ecclesiae est spiritualis in animas ipsas ergo potestas illius iudicandi se extendit etiam ad forum internum Reuerendiss Chalc. in Collat. li. 2. c. 28. that wee beleeuing the Councels to be directed in their Decrees by the Holie Ghost in vertue of our Sauiours promise made vnto the Church attribute more to them then Antiquitie hath donne The vanitie of which your pretence sufficientlie appeares by that which hath beene answered to your exceptions in particular You finde none that denies what wee beleeue Yea those whom you produce to speake against vs affirme it constantlie And who more Auncient in the ranck of Christians then the Apostles themselues whose testimonie you haue heard in our behalf You haue beene told also that in Sainct Augustines daies the Catholikes vniuersallie and amongst them the greatest schollers submitted their iudgments to the iudgment of the Church in Councell and this too though the point so determined were neither fundamentall nor found in Scripture You shall finde also as hath beene likewise insinuated